The words form
thoughts
flashes of neurons
triggered
sight
smell
memory
and there it is
a word
the beginning
a poem
and I start to run
the words
scatter
in different directions
along the beach
breathless
I capture one
tumbling in a spray of laughter
water from the waves
it’s here now
and the next
floating
joining the clouds
in their drifting
I grasp the
vaporous
air holding tight
to open
reveal
nothing
but
trying again and again
the clouds
telling a story in the sky
shapes
become
animals
symbols
lovers
touching the horizon
other words
dance off into
meadows
swaying on the petals
green stalks upright
colors emerge
tentative at first
soon bursting
seeds scatter
more words
to be gathered
as the ripe
of wild strawberries
sweetens my mouth
others fly
away
hovering on the wings
of kites
of hawks
taut motion
fraught
with anticipation
waiting
control
swooping movement
rising
triumphant
fed
others stay closer
holding hands
timid
tired children
curled up in laps
asking to be carried
settled down for naps
tucked into
homes
rooms
hearts
close words
brought out
over and over again
like the pie pan
the old recipe
the cookies
hot from the oven
and these
words
don’t run
they amble
and saunter
entering doors
without knocking
reaching out for hugs
returning
again and again
still
I run
after the words
each different
unique
to make a whole
placed on page
forming on lips
tumbling from my mouth
the echoes
the leaning in to hear
this is how
I run for my
poems
and having caught them
I lay them out
in garden beds
I gather them in bouquets
I give them to friends
place in my heart
watch them flutter
away
on butterflies’ wings
and then I can finally
stop running
the poem is here.